With Labor Day fast approaching, the Trenton Thunder were back at it against the Frederick Keys as their march towards the Draft League championship game rolled on. With another series complete, let's now look at the three stars of the series along with who's hot and who's not as well as look towards the road ahead for the Thunder as the 2023 Draft League season winds to a close.
1st Star - Trenton Jamison
The Alabama State infielder burned the Trenton Thunder with a 3 for 5 showing on Friday night, scoring three runs and driving in another. He showcased his power in a designated hitter role and proved himself to be one of the more effective DH options in the Draft League. If picked up by a Major League team, he could be just as effective on the everyday lineup or off the bench.
His MLB player comparisons include Ke'Bryan Hayes and Oneil Cruz of the Pittsburgh Pirates as well as Luis Arraez of the Miami Marlins
2nd Star - Joe Impeduglia
The Staten Island native and U-Texas Rio Grande Valley product started the rally for the Thunder on Friday as he put in a 1 for 4 performance, drew a walk and drove in three of the Trenton Thunder's seven runs. He showed much development in his plate discipline and bat speed, but really needs to develop his time to base to leg out more hits before he can become a decent option for the Majors.
His MLB player comparisons include Mark Vientos of the New York Mets and Matt Olson of the Atlanta Braves
3rd Star - Roberto Pena
You have to hand it to the international product out of Caracas, Venezuela and Kansas State University. He showed great bat speed through the zone, good defensive prowess and good speed down the basepaths. He went 2 for 3 on Friday night with 2 runs and even drew a pair of walks along the way. Standing at 6-foot-1, 210 pounds, Pena is a powerhouse that can match speed with size and strength. Look for him to get snapped up by a Major League team sooner rather than later.
His MLB player comparisons include Shea Langoliers of the Oakland Athletics and J.P. Crawford of the Seattle Mariners
Who's Hot
Angel Mendoza
Mendoza has rebounded quite nicely from his slow start to the 2nd half of the season. His batting average has since recovered to .220 with an OPS near .700. He even caught a pair of runners stealing on Friday night. He's become one of the better defensive catchers in the Draft League and could be a solid depth option for any Major League team.
His MLB player comparisons include now-retired Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina and Braves catcher Travid d'Arnaud
Who's Not
Justin Guerrera
The product of Watertown, Connecticut and Fairfield University has been near ice-cold in the 2nd half of the season. His batting average has gone down below the .200 mark to a .198 clip with an OPS of .615. He still has time to pick it up, but not much. He'll need to go on a hot streak and fast if he has any hope of being picked up by a Major League team this winter.
The Road Ahead
The Trenton Thunder will wrap up their three-game weekend series against these same Frederick Keys Sunday afternoon back at Trenton Thunder Ballpark with first pitch set for 5 PM. Afterwards, they'll head to West Virginia for a three-game series against their likely Championship Game opponent - the Black Bears - before returning home for three against Mahoning Valley for their final home series of the season.
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